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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Triple Dark Chocolate Cookies & a Doubly Special Post!

Happy International Women's Day!

Welcome to a very special post at The Harried Cook.

In today's post, I would like to introduce you to a campaign that a few of my friends have been working on. It is also an doubly special post (as you may have noticed in the title :p), because all the pictures in this post were taken by my friend, and one of the wonderful women working on this campaign, Zippora. She is a gorgeous woman, a great friend, a really fabulous photographer and is the mom of an absolutely adorable little two year old boy. You should check out her blog here. Why don't you leave her a comment, and let her know that I sent you? :)

On to these cookies.

Tell me this - how do you like your chocolate? White? Dark? Extra dark? I must say I often like my chocolate dark. To be honest, thanks to my sweet tooth, I am generally happiest with milk chocolate, but I love dark too. And I like my caramel dark! Mmmmmm dark caramel rocks my world!

When I think back to when I was growing up, dark chocolate was never popular. In fact, I am not sure it was even available. We only had regular, but delicious, milk chocolate and that was all we ever knew. But dark is very popular in India now.

But only when it comes to chocolate.

Not when it comes to skin color.

Millions of people in India grow up hearing, every single day, that they are not good enough because of the color of their skin. I have heard stories from my own friends about how they've been ridiculed at school, given mean nicknames, and how they've even been told by their own families, "Oh! How we wish you were fair!" It is tragic. Now, I am not fair by any standard. According to the Fairness Meter (oh yes, that is a real thing!), I am 'wheatish'. That means I am not fair, but I am not dark either. Whew. I dodged the bullet!

Things are getting worse! Everyday we are bombarded with advertisements for products claiming that they will make you fairer. But it doesn't stop there! Not only will you get fairer skin, you'll get the job, you'll make friends with the popular kids, you'll become a talented musician, you'll become a celebrity, you'll achieve great things in life and most importantly, you'll get the guy/girl that you've been in love with forever, but won't give you the time of day because you are not fair!

You can check out some of the fairness ads on YouTube and see for yourself how ridiculous they are. To normal people, these ads would be funny. I find them hilarious. But to people who have heard every day of their lives that they are dark, or lived through rejection, ridicule and torment because of their skin color, these ads would appear like a ray of hope. But none of these products can deliver what they promise.

Not. One. Of. Them.

I think the advertising industry needs to take more responsibility & be more aware messages they are sending out! They are setting people up for disappointment. Not just women. Men too!

I love this parody. It shows a fairness cream turns you into a blonde, white woman. Because that's what we all want to be, right? It's so funny how while on one side of the world, millions of fair skinned people are trying to get a tan, people with a naturally bronzed complexion, are trying to get fairer. Human nature?

The Dark is Beautiful campaign has been around since 2009. The main goal of this campaign is to try to make people realize that they ought to be comfortable in their own skins.

It is a lot harder than it sounds.

We are working against a mindset. We are working against an enormous industry. We are working against years, decades and possibly centuries of people telling you that you won't get far because of the way you look, or the color of your skin.

In my mind, Dark is Beautiful is not just about skin color issues. It speaks into every aspect of appearance. Short is beautiful. Curly hair is beautiful. Small eyes are beautiful. Dark hair is beautiful. Seriously people. Do we want to be clones of each other?

I believe God made each of us unique - in appearance, in personality, in the talents and abilities He has given us, and in the color of our skin. I believe that what we can achieve in life is determined by how hard we try, how hard we pray and how much of ourselves we put into what we do. Not by how we look. If the world has given an edge to the fairer, more 'perfect looking' people, let's take that edge back by raising our children to be confident in their skins!

And parents - don't make your kids feel anything less than gorgeous! Help them be the beautiful people God created them to be. It's part of your job.

Method
1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2. Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over boiling water. Stir until smooth and molten. Set aside to cool. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, but be very careful not to burn the chocolate. Nuke it 20 seconds at a time, stirring well between each 20 second interval.)
3. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl along with the vanilla and instant coffee granules. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream the until smooth and light.
5. Add in the sugars and beat for about 30 seconds
6. Add in the egg mixture and beat for about a minute. Don't worry if the mixture looks a little 'separated'.
7. Pour in the melted chocolate in a slow stream, beating continuously. Beat on low speed for a further 45 seconds until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat for a further 20 seconds.
8. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Don't over beat.
9. Using a spatula, stir in the chocolate chunks.
10. Set the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. I left mine in there over-night.
11. Preheat the oven to 180. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.
12. Scoop out tablespoon sized balls of dough and place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Do not flatten the balls.
13. Bake for about 12 minutes until the sides are set but the centers are still soft.
14. Remove from the oven, and leave on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
15. Store in an airtight cookie jar.

These cookies are delicious! Chewy, fudgy, intensely chocolate-y in every bite. I thought, and my friend agreed, that they taste like brownies in a cookie form. A real treat for chocolate lovers!

P.S. - When we say 'Dark is Beautiful', we are not saying that other colors are not! :) All the colors in the world are special and make the world a more beautiful place! It's just that 'Dark is Beautiful' sounds a lot nicer than 'Dark is also beautiful'! :) :)

Love the photographs? I know I do! Don't forget to check out Zippora's blog, and tell her what a great job she's done!

Tell me - has skin color discrimination affected you or someone close to you? How has this impacted you? I would love to hear your stories and thoughts!

I am submitting this entry for the Stayfree Time to Change contest which encourages you to speak out about change you would like to see in the world around you.

67
comments:

Kimby
said...

I'm triple wowed by this post! Not just for the photography. Not only for the fantastic recipe. But because you took a stand and spoke out against an unfairness (no pun intended) that has caused people to feel "less than someone else." Beauty does not reside in "sameness," but in our wonderful differences. Thank you SO much for this -- EXCELLENT and VERY SPECIAL post!

LOVED every line of this post.Before meeting my husband I had no idea about this problem in India and it shocked me. You are right, at first it may sound ridiculous if seen from the outside, but I know it can actually be dramatic. I find it so bad that many of the biggest Bollywood celebrities are fair... (women above all)... that does not set a very good example...On the other hand... as you know, even "white" people (mainly women again) are not that well considered by many... but that is a completely different problem. I so agree... we are all beautiful people and "looks" should not be what define us! :-)

OMG... just saw the add you posted with SAK and PC... cannot believe they actually agreed to film THAT. What were they thinking?????? SOOOOOO disappointing.... see, that's what I meant. Famous people should be a role model and that is totally WRONG. :-(((((((

A very good post indeed, Marsha! I'm yellow and don't speak yellow language, double whammy! I face discrimination for both, and everywhere. But that doesn't bother me. People who pick on others are insecure themselves and bullies. They really should spend all their energy on this! ... I mean your cookies! Gorgeous pics! And super scrumptious .... drooling, drooling .... I love chewy cookies! And I love the addition of coffee too! Your mini bundts reminded me of the 2 mini bundt pans I'd bought and forgot all about and so I'd made some yesterday with a coffee and chocolate combi ... this is so weird. I'm saving this recipe.

Great message. I remember my mom (who is part Indian) telling me of this problem when we were growing up. Many years later, my missionary friends took a missions trip to Indiana and recalled how heartbroken they were to find parents treating them better than their own kids because they were white. Hopefully things will change in the future because it's horrible to grow up feeling like you're worthless because of the skin you were born with.

Marsha, this post took my breath away!! I LOVE IT!!! My girls are African American and Puerto Rican, one is brown and one isn't. They are taught to love themselves above all else and others too. Thank you for the post, for the cookie recipes, for the bday wishes and for being my friend. I hope that one day we can meet in person and cook together. Jackie xo

An excellent post! I lived in India for a number of years and it's shocking to see the discrimination against certain people because of their skin colour. The funniest things are the matrimonial ads that always ask for a fair girl. I think things like this put pressure on women to confirm to being "fair".

This is a great post and so.... true - we're all people, just people, no matter what we look like, God created all of us and loves us and we need to look way past the outer shell1 thanks for this delicious looking recipe also, YUM!

I had never heard about the campaign, so I'm really glad I stopped by today. The cookies look delicious. How can you go wrong with triple chocolate anything :-). I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

I think people should just see past people's physical appearance and get to know that everyone has their special merits. Dark skinned people want to be fairer and fair skinned people go for fake tans. Isn't that just ridiculous? Gorgeous cookies! Yes, dark is beautiful.

I'm a Pakistani girl growing up in Calfornia, where all my friends are white. They're constantly telling me how lucky I am I don't burn, and that I'm already tan... But it doesn't really sound like a compliment! I've been tempted to try all these creams... If it helps solve the problem why not? But this post reminds me that I'm not the only girl self conscious about this! It'll take some work... But I want to try and feel beautiful despite this "tan" as my friends call it.

I'm a Pakistani girl growing up in Calfornia, where all my friends are white. They're constantly telling me how lucky I am I don't burn, and that I'm already tan... But it doesn't really sound like a compliment! I've been tempted to try all these creams... If it helps solve the problem why not? But this post reminds me that I'm not the only girl self conscious about this! It'll take some work... But I want to try and feel beautiful despite this "tan" as my friends call it.

Hi Marsha! Very nice written post! I agree with you! Japanese women are crazy about trying to have fair skin too and cosmetic industry is making money off from all kinds of products...ridiculous. Great post, and I loved "meeting" you in Zippora's post! ;-)

Thank you so much for your kind words, Kim! Yes I believe any kind of discrimination is unfair - be it based on race, religion, skin color or anything else. I am so glad you liked this post. And thank you for taking the time to say hi to Zip :) Hugs...

Hi Manu. Thanks for sharing this. Yes, the movie industry, advertising industry etc all favor only fair-skinned people. the darker toned people don't stand a chance. it seems unfair because so many are so talented. you said it well - we are not defined by looks. :) Thanks for stopping by!

I agree, Ping! they must be insecure.... I am sorry that you face discrimination. that must be tough! But I like your attitude :) Seriously - I think foodies are the best people - if there were more foodies in the world, we would have world peace :) Can't wait to see your mini-bundts!!! Thanks for stopping by!

Yes, Christina. It is so sad to hear that :( but it happens a lot - especially among uneducated people. I really wish people would see that they are beautiful in God's eyes - no matter what the color of their skin. Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you, Jackie! You are such a great mom and you are doing such a fabulous job with Gabi and Lexi! I wish more people would take the time to build up their kids' self-esteem... Thanks and I look forward to our bake-date! :)

Thank you so much, Lazaro... I feel strongly against any kind of discrimination and was happy to share about what some friends of mine and working against :) Thanks for your encouragement and kind words!

Thank you, Lizzy! I am glad you liked it... yeah, watch those videos if you get a chance. I am hoping the message will get through to the advertising industry in India and they would realize how ridiculous their ads are! Thanks for stopping by here, and at Zip's blog :) Appreciate it!

Gosh! I guess it's harder when you're different, and everyone around you looks a certain way... while I don't think it is wrong to use products to 'improve' our appearance and to look our best, I think it is important to realize how much of what they promise to do is realistic.

There are so many factors that contribute to how we look - race, genes, diet, environment etc - and if the God who created us wanted us to look a certain way, I think we just need to try to look our best :) I am proud of my 'wheatish' skin color and wouldn't trade it in :) And, I just want to say to you that I am sure your skin color is gorgeous and that your friends are probably being genuine about their compliments :) Hugs to you from India!!!

A great post for a great cause. It reminds of the this line from Hairspray when the black people are segregated from the whites:The darker the chocolate, the richer the taste. And that's where it's at....now baby run and tell that!!But I totally agree how it's insane that people in the East (I'm Chinese and it's exactly the same) want to be white but people in the West want to be tanned. But saying that, 100 years ago Western people wanted to be whiter, because being tanned meant you were a labourer. Now that's the reason why people don't want to be tanned in the East. Maybe in 100 years things will change again!

interesting... actually my uh... somewhat-related relatives (aka relatives who are a mile away on the family tree) live in Asia and man, do they have an obsession with being pale! They came to the US a few years ago. First thing they did after waking up - sunscreen time! In the car (and may I point out the car had TINTED windows, and that only a sliver of light was coming through): sunscreen time! every other minute: sunscreen time! ridiculous... personally, who cares about skin color? as long as you're not neon green or hot pink, it's all right...

I am not sure I can even find the words to express just how much I love this post! And the campaign is not only fantastic, but sadly necessary. I watched the adds and found them so sad...the world really needs a wake up call! I am on the ultra fair skinned side, and trust me I have wanted it changed for as long as I can remember. It is always posed to us that what ever is the opposite of what we have is more beautiful...pathetic! You are exactly correct, those with fair skin, especially here in the US, look to be tan and deepen the skin color for beauty. It's about time that someone really dug into the contradiction, and helped shape the future for our children, whatever beautiful colors they may be :)P.S. The cookies are just pure evil, lol...and the photos are lovely, will check out your friends site :)

It is always a matter of the heart. If it were not skin color it would be something else . The theme is dominion and insecurity. I think it takes God's heart inus to not struggle with this. I applaud your message. I have been affected in many ways. I am Italian and olive skinned. I've had people tell me I'm not white and I'm not very dark. No matter to me but it hurts me to hear racist remarks about others. I've chosen not to be friends with people who have surprised me with bigotry.even in Italy they make judgment against each other regarding region and skin color. I will vist your friend's blog and say hello.

This is such a beautiful post, I love the message, that you are beautiful no matter what skin color you are. Although I was born and raised in this country I am of Colombian decent and so I have the features including being tan. I had my first taste of racism when I was in 6th grade and a boy claimed to "not what anything to do with me" thanks to the fact that my skin was darker than almost every student in my school. For the first time ever I understood injustice. It didn't make sense that someone would hate me for something I cannot change about myself. I still have people point out that my fiance and I are different shades, but to me I don't see color, I just see love. =]

Here's to hoping things change way before that... the world has changed SO much in the last 100 years, but we still hold on to old ideas and mindsets... I think all people - no matter what color - need to accept the way they look and take pride in it! Thanks for voicing your thoughts, Xinmei :)

That does sound like a very Asian/Indian thing to do :) We do love our the sunscreen :) LOL :) And I like the idea of having a neon green friend!! Sounds like she'd be super fun! Thanks for stopping by, Amanda :)

Thanks so much for sharing your opinion and support here, Alisha! I think that advertisements, media and especially our own family and friends play such a great role in this area... we are not taught to accept the way we look and to always admire what other people have! I think this generation should take a stand and we need to teach our children to be proud of their skin color... Thanks for your kind words about this post and the cookies :) Hugs

It definitely hurts when people point out that we're different. I wish people would stop doing that and accept that we cannot all be the same. You're so right - it is a matter of the heart and we all need the heart of God in us. Thank you for you support in this issue, and I hope that we can teach our children to think right :) Hugs!

I'm an Indian and I can completely understand where you're coming from. I see it happen every day, but the approach towards dark skin is changing. Slowly, yes, but surely. I'm not fair myself, but luckily enough I haven't ever been teased or been treated like an outcast because of it. I strongly support this campaign and yes, every colour is beautiful. People really need to change their mindset and learn to accept and appreciate every attribute of a person's being. Everyone is different and thus, beautiful.

Marsha, I have awarded you with a blog award. Please accept it at the latest post on my blog. :)

Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Ky! I am so sorry to hear that this thing happened to you at such a young and impressionable age... that must have really hurt! But I am so glad that you have grown up to be a confident, beautiful woman despite that... I feel bad for children who have been scarred for life, and have had their spirits broken because for this kind of ridicule...

I think we need to take the time to teach our kids to be accepting of all God's people - no matter how they look or where they're from. Thanks again for your comment, Ky! Big hugs...

Well said, Pratiksha. Yes, you are right about things changing slowly. I am so glad when I see darker skinned models and actresses on screen but they're still too few. I have personally seen gorgeous dusky women being rejected by their prospective husband's family based only on the color of their skin. It is still a sad reality today. You have put it beautifully - "Everyone is different, and thus, beautiful." I just love it!

Thanks for stopping by, Pratiksha! I would be honored to accept the award... Heading over to your blog right now :)

I did not visit earlier because I'm diabetic. Glad I did finally. Lovely post. One thing that makes fair so exotic to us and dark to them is because we don't really know one another. Close association dispels all those notions and makes each more human to the other.

My sister is kind of dark and I know how horrible she still feels about it. She was bullied and her self esteem was down in the pits coz of the same thing.I love the idea of the campaign and good luck with that! xx

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About Me

I am a part-time work-from-home, full-time wife, mother & foodie... I am quite obsessive when it comes to food and all things food-related.
For me, there is nothing like the satisfaction of producing a perfect dish & having your loved ones devour it!